The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-08-25
WASTED FERTILITY.
A Problem That IL Assumiug . More
Realistic Aspect Day by Day.

Realistic Aspect Day by Day.
That the enormous crops taken from
the land every year rob the soil of in
dispensabie elements, every body is
supposed to anow; that stertility will
follow if these elements are not restored
every body ought to know. They
abound in all vegetable matter-in
offal and excrements, in the nightsoil
and other materials that constitute the
sewerage of cities. If these are saved
and applied, the earth will yield fruits
with constantly increasing abundance;
but if, as at present, the larger share OF
these indispensable elements flow in
sewers 20 the sea, or are wasted In
other ways, can their place be supplied
from any other source? Cities are
rapidly multiplying and eularging;
their drafts on the soil are immense and
increasing; if they persist in poisoning
the fish instead of feeding the land they
will inevitably be reduced to short ra-
tons. DR.. j. B. Lawes. acknowledged
authority in scientific and practical
agriculture. supposes case: ["h En-
gland were cut off from all outside sup
plies. could she feed her people from
her own soil?" This brings to the front
the deeply interesting matter OF "inten-
sive" agriculture. Small landholders
(hey ought to be multiplied thou
sand-fold) are especially interested in
knowing what the soil is capable of
yielding, aided by all available appli-
ances. DR.. Lawes thinks the British
islanders can get necessary sup
plies from their own soil, but 'great
numbers would have to be en-
ployed in the "production OF
manure" He adds: "Then would bo
the time when the sewage OF London,
evaporated to dryness or distilled,
would give us some idea of the value OF
what a writer of leading article in
the London agricultural Gaze'ie calls
the fertilizing power of 10000 OF tie
best-fed animals in the world" DIR.
Lawes distinctly admits the ''fer-
tilizing power of city sewage, but
thinks under existing circumstances
1.-THE cost of labor and transit will
overbalance the benefits to be derived
from the use of London sewage. 1t
concerns us to inquire into the circum-
stances that make it Improbable for
Englishmen to save this sewage. The
Gazette makes that very clear by say
ing: England is now blockaded. not
by hostile ships, but by fleets of food
laden vessels, which are cheapening our
home products. England can't afford
to save fertilizers because she can buy
food of the United States and carry 1t
5000 miles cheaper than she can raise
it. How do we manage to sell food so
cheap? By raising it on virgin soil with
out the expense of manure. Can We
continue to do this? Diminished yields
will soon stop that business. What are
the results? We have sold our proauco
for the cost of labor expended and
small per cent on our investment, get
ting absolutely nothing as recompensc
for the terrible depletion of soil-noth-
ing for the precious, priceless elements
taken from it and sent away. 4 great
many farmers to-day are at wits end to
know how to make their worn-out lands
productive. They should not have per-
sisted in raising crops-like wheat
that would not. besides paying all other
expenses, furnish means to keep up and
increase the fertility of the land
Eujor Il. T. Brooks. in N. Y. Tribune.